Definition of a Formal Letter
Formal Letters, also called Business Letters or Professional Letters, are letters
that are written in a strict and specific format. Formal letters are naturally much
more formal in style than informal/friendly letters. Formal letters can be written
for a number of reasons such as,
to express your concerns while working in a professional setup
to provide official information across your workspace
to order goods, to apply for employment, etc.
to the Editor of a newspaper addressing the problems faced by various
groups of people in different areas, etc.
Structure of a Formal Letter
In order to be able to write a formal letter, you have to first understand the reason
behind the letter. As far as formal letters are concerned, the structure of the letter
changes depending on the type of letter. There are certain rules to be followed to
be able to draft a formal letter. Every sentence should be well thought out and
laid down in such a way that the message you want to convey should be precise
and clear to the reader.
Types of Formal Letters
There are different types of formal letters, as discussed, and they can generally be
labelled under the following terms:
Business Letters
Letters of Application
Letters to Newspapers
Business Letters
Business letters should be terse, clear and to the point. There is no room for any
kind of stories in a business letter. Before you start to write a business letter,
there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Use simple, everyday language to convey the message clearly instead of
using flamboyant and overemphatic vocabulary.
Never use jargon that is commonly used in business when you write a
business letter.
Avoid using abbreviations as much as possible.
The modes of address vary according to the type of letter and the receiver.
Clear and exact descriptions of the articles necessary with the expected
quality and quantity should be listed with utmost care when you write a
letter to order goods.
When replying to a business letter, always quote the date of the letter you
are responding to and its reference numbers (if any).
Formal/Business letters include letters from an employer to the employees and
vice versa, letters to order and replace goods, letters of serious concern to an
officer of higher rank, letters of complaint, etc.
Letters of Application
Letters of Application usually consist of letters applying for employment. Before
and after you write a letter of application, make sure you check for the following:
Always start with a short introduction stating whether the applicant is
writing in response to a reference from an advertisement found online or in
the newspaper.
State the age, education and experience of the applicant.
Provide the employer with a genuine expression of the applicant’s
earnestness in taking up the job in the respective company.
Also, furnish references so that the employer can gather an idea of the kind
of employee you would be.
Letters of Application should follow the format of formal/business letters.
Letters to Newspapers
Always address these letters to ‘The Editor’ and end with ‘Yours faithfully’.
Letters to the Editor are letters that express concerns that should be addressed to
the higher authorities. These letters should be professional and authentic. No
newspaper would publish anonymous letters, so make sure you are writing the
letter for a cause and provide your name and address correctly.
When writing a formal letter, always be respectful and conscious of your
language, no matter what the subject of the letter might be.
Writing a Formal Letter – Parts of a Formal Letter
To write a formal letter, there are some points to be remembered.
1. Always start with the sender’s address
2. This is followed by the date.
3. The receiver’s address comes next. The receiver can be the name of the
firm or the one who represents the firm.
4. The subject of the letter is very important. It is a statement of the purpose
of the letter. It should be written in a single line.
5. The salutation can be Dear Sir/Ma’am. If it is a person you know well, you
can address them by their name, ‘Dear Shrinath’.
6. The body of the letter can be written in 3 paragraphs.
The first paragraph should be aimed at introducing yourself and
stating the purpose of your letter.
The second paragraph should furnish all the information about the
matter.
The third paragraph can be a concluding paragraph where you lay out
your expectations regarding the matter.
7. To close the letter, you can use a complimentary closing like ‘Yours
faithfully’, ‘Yours sincerely’ etc.
8. Unlike informal letters, the signature should include your name (in block
letters) and designation below your signature.
Formal Letter Writing Samples
Formal Letter Sample 1 – Letter to the publisher ordering books for your
store
Read More Book Store
24, Crosby Lane
Bangalore 600045
20th August, 2019
The Manager
Zack Publishing House
Mumbai 400012
Sub: Requirement of new books for the store
Dear Sir,
I have received the books that you sent last week. The books are in perfect
condition, and they were delivered on time. Owing to the great service rendered,
I would like to order more books that would be a great addition to the wide range
of books available at my store. Given below is a list of books that I would like to
purchase:
Title of the Book Author No. of Copies
Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte 3
Treasure Island R L Stevenson 2
A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking 4
Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! Richard Feynman 2
I shall be grateful if you could send me copies of these books as mentioned by
VPP as early as possible to the address given.
Thank you in advance.
Yours faithfully,
Signature
JAVED
Manager, Read More Book Store
